MARIAH CAREY: A Great 'Save' Turns into Big Deal for All

By Karu F. Daniels, AOL Black Voices

Over the course of her near-20 year career Mariah Carey has been very generous on the philanthropic front.

For her efforts -- particularly with the VH1 Save the Music Foundation, the top-selling pop/R&B diva will be feted along with President Bill Clinton and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton at an exclusive, star-studded gala at New York's Lincoln Center on Sept. 20.

Since 1997, the VH1 Save The Music Foundation has successfully restored and sustained instrumental music programs in 1,500 public schools in over 100 cities around the country. To date, The Foundation has provided $40 million in new musical instruments, affecting the lives of more than 1 million students.

Carey has been participatory in aiding the foundation's goal for the past decade -- dating all the way back to 1998 (when she joined the likes of Gloria Estefan, Shania Twain, Aretha Franklin and Celine Dion as performers for the very first 'Divas Live' showcase) up to last year's donation of her Escada dress (she wore in an Intel Cenrtino ad campaign) for auction.

"We at The VH1 Save The Music Foundation are thrilled to be honoring Mariah Carey at our 10th anniversary celebration," director Paul Cothran told The BV Newswire today. "It would be hard to look back on the past ten years and recount each of our triumphs and successes without recalling individuals such as Mariah that have donated so much of their time and efforts to restoring music education programs across the country."

The gala, which will be the first of its kind for the foundation, will be hosted by Maria Menounos and sponsored by LG Mobile Phones.

Mariah Carey According to a rep for the event, boldface named such as Nick Lachey, Vanessa Minnillo, Ice-T & Coco, Irv Gotti, Russell Simmons, Vanessa Carlton, Mya, Denise Rich, and Quincy Jones can be expected to the event which will feature performances by John Mayer, Jon Bon Jovi and Roger Waters -- who will accompanied by a 60-piece student orchestra comprised of VH1 Save The Music Foundation students from across the country.

Conan O'Brien has been tapped to do an opening speech and 'Project Runway's' fashion patriarch Tim Gunn will be on hand to emcee a live auction, which will feature one-of-a-kind items and experiences from VH1 Save The Music partners.

Rich, a former songwriter for Sister Sledge, Patti LaBelle and Natalie Cole, hosted a Master Class for six kids from the program today in her New York City recording studios.

The wealthy New York City socialite, with close political ties to The Clintons, is also planning hosting her own exclusive shin-dig at her posh Manhattan pied-a-tier on Sept. 19 in honor of the accomplishments Save The Music have made over the years.

"VH1 Save the Music is a vital organization because not only does it provide students with instruments, but it gives them the confidence to believe in themselves," she told us.